Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Former Sen. Mark Dayton previews Election 2008
  With Election Day 2008 less than a year away, All Things Considered spoke with former DFL Sen. Mark Dayton about the campaign process and what Minnesota voters can expect during the next 12 months.5:20 p.m.
• Levy opponents sue for right to spread false information
  Levy referendum opponents in two Minnesota school districts where ballot measures were defeated this week are now claiming their right to free speech is under attack.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Georgia, Russia Square Off in a State of Emergency
  Relations between Russia and Georgia have declined further after the Georgian president imposed a state of emergency in his country Wednesday. The Georgian government blames what it calls "Russian agitators" for the weeklong protests demanding new elections.
• Lawmakers Create a Stink over Farm Pollution
  Phosphorous run-off from industrial farms is seeping into wilderness areas such as the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge in Vermont. Some lawmakers say manure should be regulated like other forms of pollution, but farmers say voluntary programs are more effective. Brian Mann of North Country Public Radio reports.
• U.S. Military Releases 500 Iraqi Prisoners
  U.S. military authorities in Iraq released 500 Iraqi prisoners Thursday, saying they are no longer considered to be security threats. The U.S. military says that since the beginning of this year, 50 prisoners have been released each day on average. The move is meant to foster a climate of reconciliation between Iraq's Sunnis and Shiites.
• Are 'Exurban' Voters Shrinking GOP Landscape?
  On Tuesday, Democrats took control of the state Senate in Virginia. What was once solid Republican territory is shifting Democratic in recent years. Some analysts point to voters living in outer suburbs, or exurbs, to explain the changing political landscape.
• China's Effect on Dollar Reflects Growing Influence
  The economies of the United States and China are intertwined in ways that were unimaginable a decade ago. China has more than $1 trillion in U.S. reserves. Currency markets were rattled when a minor Chinese official said it was time to move some of that money into euros. Neither China nor the U.S. would benefit if the dollar plummeted rapidly.
• Fed Forecasts Economic Rebound by Next Spring
  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday that he expects the U.S. economy to "slow noticeably" in coming months as the housing slump intensifies. Bernanke also said the economy has shown considerable resilience and should rebound next year.
• Princeton Sextet Performs Laptop Symphonies
  The Princeton Laptop Orchestra is a six-person ensemble that performs music via computers. The performers sit on the floor with computers on their laps, with six-sided speakers next to them. They play original compositions written for the laptop.
• 8-Year-Old's Reggaeton Grabs Grammy Nod
  The Eighth Annual Latin Grammy Awards are Thursday night in Las Vegas. Reggaeton sensation Miguelito is one of the artists up for Best Latin Children's Album. He's only 8 years old, but his videos and lyrics are a bit raunchier than his age would suggest.
• Musharraf Announces Elections for February
  Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, under intense domestic and international pressure, announced a mid-February date for parliamentary elections and pledged to remove his uniform. Ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto called on Musharraf to step down as Army chief within a week.
• Immigrant Verification System Flawed, Critics Say
  More businesses are signing on to a voluntary government computer program that's intended to verify that new hires are not illegal immigrants. But critics say the database it uses is rife with errors and that the program can't detect stolen documents.
• Other Showdowns Loom After Veto Override
  Congress has successfully overridden a veto by President Bush for the first time. The House and Senate both voted with a veto-proof majority to enact a water resources bill. The showdown sets the stage for ongoing spending confrontations between Congress and the White House.
• Endorsements Show Split in Evangelical Community
  This week, several prominent Christian evangelical leaders endorsed a variety of Republican presidential hopefuls. The endorsements seem to reflect a growing divide within that community, which traditionally has provided the GOP with a more unified base of support.
• Mel Brooks Back on Broadway with 'Frankenstein'
  Mel Brooks has adapted his 1974 movie Young Frankenstein for the stage. It opens on Broadway on Thursday night. After the huge success of his musical The Producers, Brooks hopes to score big again.
• Letters: Strike Overload, Hydrogen Car, Climber
  Listeners called for more coverage of presidential candidates' ideas and platforms, and less coverage of the Writer's Guild strike. They also commented on NPR's profiles of General Motors' newest hydrogen car, the "bear whisperer" and the man some call the world's best rock climber.
• House Panel Weighs Terrorist Watch-List Problems
  The House Homeland Security Committee had a hearing Thursday about problems with terrorism watch lists, which are supposed to stop suspected terrorists from getting on flights or crossing U.S. borders. Government officials say they are aware of the problems and are working to fix them.

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